﻿SPONGHDA. 
  605 
  

  

  in 
  their 
  genus 
  and 
  family. 
  A 
  fifth 
  species, 
  assigned 
  also 
  to 
  Beniera, 
  

   has 
  affinities 
  which 
  find 
  expression 
  elsewhere, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  my 
  know- 
  

   ledge 
  extends, 
  only 
  in 
  Indo-Pacific 
  waters. 
  

  

  22. 
  Reniera 
  indistincta, 
  var. 
  

   Isodictya 
  indistincta, 
  Bowerhank, 
  Mon. 
  Brit. 
  Spong. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  290, 
  &c. 
  

  

  A 
  specimen 
  almost 
  identical 
  in 
  form 
  and 
  size 
  with 
  that 
  described 
  

   above 
  from 
  the 
  Australian 
  collections 
  (from 
  Torres 
  Straits) 
  under 
  this 
  

   title 
  : 
  it 
  has, 
  however, 
  a 
  superficial 
  rich 
  umber-brown 
  coloration, 
  

   produced 
  by 
  a 
  sarcode 
  darker 
  than 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  parts 
  in 
  the 
  

   Australian 
  specimen, 
  the 
  external 
  colour 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  grey. 
  The 
  

   dermal 
  skeletou-fibres 
  are 
  also 
  constantly, 
  and 
  not 
  merely 
  occa- 
  

   sionally, 
  biserially 
  spiculate, 
  and 
  the 
  spicules 
  measure 
  '19 
  by 
  •008 
  

   millim., 
  instead 
  of 
  "IG 
  by 
  '0003 
  millim. 
  The 
  occurrence 
  of 
  this 
  form 
  

   on 
  the 
  western 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  Indian 
  Ocean, 
  together 
  with 
  the 
  dark 
  

   coloration 
  (resembling 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  British 
  specimen), 
  are 
  confirmatory 
  

   of 
  its 
  identity 
  with 
  a 
  British 
  species. 
  

  

  Hob. 
  Darros 
  Island, 
  Amirante 
  group, 
  22 
  fms. 
  

  

  Distributioji. 
  See 
  Part 
  I., 
  p. 
  407, 
  of 
  this 
  Eeport. 
  

  

  23. 
  Reniera 
  rosea. 
  

  

  Isodictya 
  rosea, 
  Bowerbank, 
  Mon. 
  Brit. 
  Spo)u/. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  282, 
  iii. 
  pi. 
  xlix. 
  

   figs. 
  12-14. 
  

  

  Some 
  small, 
  sublobate, 
  apparently 
  subsessile, 
  soft 
  pale 
  brown 
  

   specimens. 
  Skeleton-fibre 
  formed 
  of 
  uuiserially 
  (rarely 
  biserially) 
  

   arranged 
  spicules 
  ; 
  the 
  rectangular 
  arrangement 
  is 
  rather 
  obscure. 
  

   Spicules 
  curved, 
  acerate, 
  tapering 
  to 
  fine 
  points 
  from 
  about 
  4 
  dia- 
  

   meters 
  from 
  ends 
  ; 
  size 
  -IG 
  by 
  -006 
  millim. 
  Vents 
  about 
  1*5 
  millim. 
  

   in 
  diameter, 
  placed 
  at 
  extremities 
  of 
  lobes. 
  The 
  agreement 
  with 
  

   the 
  British 
  specimens 
  is 
  comparatively 
  close 
  ; 
  the 
  spicule 
  in 
  the 
  type 
  

   specimen, 
  which 
  I 
  have 
  examined, 
  is 
  slightly 
  shorter 
  ; 
  as 
  depicted 
  

   by 
  Bowerhank, 
  the 
  spicule 
  is 
  made 
  too 
  stout. 
  

  

  Hab. 
  Marie 
  Louise 
  Island, 
  Amirante 
  group, 
  16 
  and 
  17 
  fms. 
  

  

  Distribution. 
  Tenby, 
  Sark 
  (Bowerbanh); 
  Kerguelen 
  Island 
  (Carter). 
  

  

  24, 
  Reniera 
  camerata*. 
  (Plate 
  LIII. 
  figs. 
  H, 
  H' 
  ; 
  

   Plate 
  LIV. 
  fig. 
  n.) 
  

  

  Sponge 
  generally 
  subcyUndrical 
  or 
  subconical, 
  perforated 
  above 
  

   by 
  large 
  irregular 
  openings 
  ; 
  formed 
  of 
  thin 
  compact 
  lamellae 
  1-2 
  

   millim. 
  thick, 
  thinuiug 
  off 
  into 
  knife-like 
  edges, 
  and 
  much 
  folded 
  

   and 
  anastomosing 
  with 
  each 
  other 
  within 
  the 
  sponge, 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  form 
  

   a 
  labyrinthine 
  system 
  of 
  passages, 
  3-5 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  chiefiy 
  

   more 
  or 
  less 
  vertical 
  in 
  their 
  direction. 
  Outer 
  surface 
  of 
  sponge 
  

   smooth, 
  gently 
  undulating 
  ; 
  inner 
  surface 
  of 
  passages 
  very 
  minutely 
  

   pitted 
  by 
  the 
  openings 
  of 
  the 
  excretory 
  canals. 
  

  

  Consistency 
  of 
  spouge-waU, 
  in 
  spirit, 
  very 
  flexible 
  and 
  compres- 
  

   * 
  From 
  camera, 
  a 
  chambei-, 
  in 
  allusion 
  to 
  the 
  chambered 
  interior. 
  

  

  